Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-30
NEW YORK LETTER.
IN THE wHIRL OF THE GREAT Mr.
TRoPOLls
The Comedians OF Gotham Sentiment in
Business Hours Trade with Grecs-
land Queer Institution.

iCorrospondcnce Of the Richmond Disps;ch.l
Nrw York, January %. 1897.
The comedians Of New York occupy
sn cnviable place in the social system
of the town. They are welcome
guests of every club and wherever men
ConCrepatc and have more OF what is
known AZ fun than actors OF any
other kind. Leading men, as they are
usually called, are not popular here
They are well-drosscd and fine-looklng
specimens Of stage gentlemen, as a rule,
and from limited experience | have
had IN meeting them they seem 10 be
reasonably interesting, bat their inter
st lies solely IN their priggishness and
IN, extraordinary airs they assume in
public.
Mr. Herbert Kelley is a stalwart, ath-
lctic, and fine-looking man, 20 whom
orc would naturally take a liking at
first sight If 1t were not for his absurd
carriage IN the street. He swings along
with an important scowl, bites his
neither lip, humps his shoulders, and
presents an appearance that cannot pos
Sbly be expressed by any other word
IN the English language but "cOcky. "
MIR. kyTle Bollow has fine, wcll-cut,
and rather classic face, with big, gray
eyes and curling, iron-gray locks. In
Tepose II is n strikingly characteristic
and imposing face but it is seldom in
rcpOse. for Mr. Bollcw smirks and rolls
his ewes like a girl rs ne Frances
along the street with the gait Of bur
lcsquc actress parading as mn Amazon.
Mir Walden Ramsey. the leading man
ri the Madison Square Theatre, Saiicct-
"a 10 pitch Of absurdity. None of the
leading men are at all popular with their
fellows. and it IS probably on account
Of their laborcd airs Tragedians are
scarce and apt 10 be naughty. reserved,
stiltcd, and conscious Nobody is par
iiculaTly anxious to know them. It is
the same with actors who pursue other
branches Of the profession; some Of
them are good fellows aud popular, bat
the majority are not known at all about
town cor IN club-roOmS.
ALL DOORS OPEN
But to the comedians all doors are
open They reap the highest social
hoDors. and if they are nj all clever off
thc stage they make hosts Of friends
everywhere. The comedians are feted,
ucttcd, and admired. rhere are few of
iucin. OF course. but the men who make
New York laugh are well repaid as
rllc ! doubt If DiXey. IN ~ his ira
Yelling. viii ever be received with more
oorhality and fricndlmcss than
p. was during his long run
lrc. Night after night entertain
Fonts followed each, other, at
which be- was The bright. particular
,.ar. and when ne went along Fifth
avenue or Broadway he was invariably
followed 10y troops of friends. Nat.
Goodwin Is as happy socially as DiXey,
ard lac entertains largely. Most OF his
dinners are glycr 10 such men as Colo
u,l Tom Ochilt O., Larry Jerome, Bob
H4crson. Colo..l Fellows, and we'll
known dining IN OF that type. Good
WINS Wit is of peculiar order, and i; is
apparently meNhaustblc This week
he produced the " Mascot and de
suite the fact that it is one OF the most
thrcadhare and OycrWorkcd of operas,
hc has lifted it into big success pure
~ 10y the force OF his own personality.
lie PLAYS the part OF Lorenzo in the
br0adest and most absurd manner. II
is probable that it will rather startlc
some of the men who profess such
delight for artistic detail in theatrical
performances but IL is nevertheless the
funniest Lorenzo We hay, ever had in
New York, not forgetting that of Mez-
Ncrcs himself.
\ commedian vino is held i'll the
highest personal esteem III New York
hv people Of all grades of society Is
MIR Francis Wilson, of the Casino.
His name does not appear in mammoth
letters, employs no press agent. ana his
attire does not suggest the actor. He
j. one al the most thoroughly inishcd
and Legitimate actors on our stage. and
is undoubtedly the most polished Of
American comedians Besides his stage
training he is a man of notable eril-
ditou, speaks several languages fluent
". Is probably the best amateur swords
man IN the United States. and is ii gen
eal athlete. lie lives in his own house,
II essentially domestic, and enjoys IN
income OF about SIS. 600 year.
These are a few of the most famous
and successful comedians. There are,
a. course. others who do not now &C
cupy the public eye and who have
their share Of popularity and good-fel-
lowship. hut the men L have men
toned have thus far won the highest
honors. socially and financially, that the
town affords. ! doubt if any man has
a more cnviabie position than one OF
the crack comedians of New York at
the height Of his popularity.
SENTIMENT IN BUSINESS HOURS.
The women who sew at home and in
factories for their livelihood are hero
INES, 81 course hut they can only faint
~ imagine the bravery of those who
work lu other ways. side by side with
men, These are cutting new paths
through the convcntiOnalities. They
present tie newest phase of life we
know Of ] often meet one in certain
great office building, one Of those hu-
man hives al hOncycOmbed into Offices
wherein queen bee is a novelty. She
Is pretty and dresses with quiet but
exquisite taste that reveals her superb
figure. She is a book agent. i had
often wondered if it wasn't ahITdshp to
her 10 be 50 beautiful amid such sur
roundings. She satisfied me on that
point one day
II have Just had scene with one OF
vour neighbors, she said, a. she came
10 where | sat Il actually believe he
was going down on his knees to me"
DO YOU often --
DO | often? Well. | won't say
that sor, Of thing is continual, for 1t
isn't. ! get along with men under the
middle age well enough. But, oh, the
old men They are driving me to dis
traction. When | see venerable head
Of hair or snow-white beard I've al
ways half mind to back ont. and if
don't I'm pretty sure TO wish | had.
The young men give me no regrets.
They are polite, considerate, business
like, and honorable. But the others
Wei, those that should be concerned
only for their future state are the big
gest frauds of all.
WAS il an old man who just fright